Kaduna says no pending cases of Lassa fever — weeks after outbreak at hospital

The Kaduna State Primary Health Development Agency (KPHDA) says there are no pending cases of Lassa fever in the state.

In February, Jide Idris, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.

The NCDC said it was notified of the outbreak after it had claimed the lives of three staff of the hospital.

At the time, Idris said four of the six blood samples from suspected cases sent to the Bayero University Teaching Hospital in Kano were confirmed for Lassa fever, and that 25 close contacts of the cases had been traced.

“Following this notification, the centre has been working with both institutions to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the suspected cases, as well as ramp up response activities,” he had said.

Speaking with NAN on Wednesday, Ibrahim Hamza-Ikara, director of public health at the agency, said there are currently no cases of Lassa fever in the state as cases have not been recorded for the past few weeks.

“We have not recorded any Lassa fever cases for the past few weeks and all the remaining eight patients have been discharged,” NAN quoted him as saying.

He said the state would continue its sensitisation programme on how best to improve hygiene.

He urged residents to maintain proper food and environmental hygiene and immediately report any suspected cases of Lassa fever to the nearest health facility for prompt attention.

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness, transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents or persons.

Its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and, in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth and other body openings.